Sunday Jobs: A career by design at Burlington tattoo studio

Nov. 11, 2011

Written by

Katy Petiford, Free Press Correspondent

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Eric Henshaw’s father taught him how to tattoo when he was 13 years old. Now, Henshaw and his dad “Bald Bill” Henshaw are co-owners of one of the longest running tattoo studios in the area, Yankee Tattoo.

Henshaw worked as a tattoo artist while attending college in Vermont, but never thought it would become his profession. The creative process and the stories behind the designs made him reconsider his future plans.

“I realized that I was wasting money at college because tattooing rocked,” he said.

Downtown Burlington’s Yankee Tattoo has been providing tattoo and piercing services since 1996. The studio’s website showcases only a few examples of what their artists are capable of creating.

Images of inked-on skulls, animals, flowers and anchors are provided to help customers choose which artist is right for them and their specific design.

Even though an artist might have a specialty area, Henshaw is particularly skilled at Celtic designs, all employees at Yankee Tattoo have a well-rounded education to ensure that every customer is happy with their final product.

“One of the benefits of our studio is that my dad has been tattooing for 30 years and he trained all the guys here not to put all their eggs in one basket,” he said.

Another way the customer can have more control over their design is by being fully involved in the creative process. The client should go into the studio with an open mind and a handful of ideas to work with.

“You should put as much effort into your tattoo as I do,” Henshaw said. “Treat it like a collage and treat it like a Master’s degree thesis.”

Researching your options before getting inked is important because the tattoo business has been rapidly changing.

Although the heart tattoo with “mom” written across in bold black letters is a traditional design, people have been focusing more on theme and style rather than on a single image in the last seven to 10 years.

In previous years, designs like stars and tribal armbands were more popular. Today people are being more creative and selective with their choice of body art.

“People are starting to think bigger,” Henshaw said.

Tattoo styling isn’t the only thing that’s changed in recent years. The clientele has also expanded. Anyone from punks to professionals and bikers to bankers can be tattooed, according to their website.

Henshaw said he’s tattooed all types of clients including 86-year-old women to 18-year-old kids who come in on their birthday to get their first tattoo.

“It’s so random now, it’s almost ridiculous,” he said. “The way media has changed tattooing in the past five years is like a hurricane.”

The way a person reacts to getting their tattoo is almost as unique as the design itself. However, Henshaw said it’s easy to know out how different client will react to the tattooing process.

“Within the first three minutes of the tattoo or 10 minutes of knowing the person, you can tell where it’s going to go,” he said.

Even though Henshaw did not expect to be co-owner of a tattoo parlor when he was in college, he is thankful that he gets to make a living doing something that he loves to do.

“I am proud that I own a studio, I tattoo and that my business supports the livelihood of nine people,” Henshaw said.